A vacated affair
by stevieLUVSAlex
Summary: When marriage issues arise, Elliot asks Olivia to combine their families for a vaction at a beach house... but something happens that may chnage the course of their relationship. PROMISE the story is better than the summary!
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I came up with this story a while ago, but because of rules on here, I had to change it some… hope it has the same effect. ENJOY!_

_Ps. Olivia is MARRIED to a guy named JOHN, and they have a kid named GEORGE! Basically Olivia and Elliot have the same HOME-LIFE, minus the amount of children!_

"**I**'m tired, Chris. I don't want to go out," Kathy groaned as her husband stood in the bedroom of their New York home, changing from his work clothes into jeans and a clean shirt. She watched from the doorway, admiring the body that she had stared at for the last 15 years. He had always had a nice form, good strength; he'd always made it a point to work out at the gym whenever he had a spare moment, it was no wonder his body was built like a Greek God.

Elliot turned to his wife as he buttoned his shirt, oblivious to her eyes wondering over him. He had stopped seeing that many months ago. "You're always tired, Kathy, unless we're visiting one of YOUR friends," he pointed out.

"I'm very patient, El, but there are only so many hours I can take spending time with Olivia and John. You spend enough time with her at work, all day, everyday."

"It's work. It's not the same thing," he answered hotly. He always felt the need to defend that accusation. As far as he was concerned, work was a separate issue, between criminals and victims they could chat for a moment, but never enough to get down to important issues before the next case. "And since when did this become an issue. I thought you liked them."

Kathy sighed heavily. "I'm tired. I don't want to go out, and that's the end of this!"

"You know what?" he laughed bitterly, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. "You can do what you like, I'm going, come or not… I don't care anymore!" Elliot stormed out of the room, tired of her attitude where his friend and partner, Olivia Benson, was concerned.

Within ten minutes, Elliot was ready to go. The kids were staying with friends, which meant it would be a night of adult conversation, since Olivia's son, George was being taken care of by the nanny. Elliot knew that Olivia hated that, she loved being a mother, and she worked extremely long hours, but once in a while she needed a night of adult conversation.

Elliot stopped in the loungeroom, and looked at his wife, who was positioned on the couch, with her feet tucked hidden under her. "Are you coming?"

Kathy threw him a look of disapproval. "Hardly!"

"What's the problem?" he asked unable to keep the strain out of his voice. He felt his body tense.

"I told you, I'm tired."

"So am I," he stated. "I work hard all day, too."

"Oh yeah, it must be a tough life standing around all day talking to people and finding out their dirty, little secrets!" her words were bitter and cheap. Kathy was a full time mother, and it took a lot of effort raising his children alone. But sometimes she forgot that Elliot's work was important too.

Elliot shook his head. Maybe it was better that she didn't come, right now he wanted to be as far away from her as humanly possible. "I'll be home later," he called as he headed for the door.

Once outside, he pulled his phone from his pocket. It was polite to at least tell Olivia about the change in plans. She answered after two rings, sounding slightly irate. "Hi El," she greeted almost coolly. "What's up?"

"Change of plans… Kathy is in a mood and isn't coming," he said with the same tone that Olivia had used when she answered.

Olivia sighed heavily through the phone. "Must be the night for it, John has taken off somewhere, I don't know when he's coming back." He did that some times, Elliot knew, when life got too much for him, he fled, leaving all responsibility to Olivia.

"Maybe we should call it a night," he said with disappointment. He wasn't ready to go home yet, and the local bar was within walking distance…

"Why should we suffer because-"

"Meet me at CHARLIE'S bar?" he offered.

"Give me half an hour," she agreed without hesitation.

Elliot hung up the phone and buried it in his pocket. He shuffled his feet along the sidewalk of New York City as he made his way to CHARLIE'S bar. He ordered himself a neat scotch and sat stiffly on the bar stool, thinking about Kathy. He could picture her sprawled out on the couch, with a sour face. He'd be in the doghouse when he returned home. But as he nursed his drink, he found that he didn't care. Her attitude of late was terribly moody, and Elliot was beginning to feel the effects. He was tired. He missed coming home to the woman he married so long ago, she had always been so happy to see him. And her smile, when she smiled, she lit up the room. He hadn't seen her smile in months, despite his efforts.

He gulped the rest of his scotch and placed the empty glass on the bar in front of him. The bartender joined him a moment later, and Elliot ordered a second drink. "Same," he gestured to the bottle of scotch on the top shelf. He was sipping his second drink when Olivia pulled out the bar stool beside him. His eyes lingered briefly on the red cotton halter neck dress, she was wearing. Olivia hung her black leather jacket on the chair, and sat down.

Kathy never dressed up for him anymore.

"What do you want?" Elliot asked once she'd settled comfortably on the stool.

"A new husband," she groaned.

Elliot smiled weakly. "I'll swap you for a new wife."

"We could just trade them both in for something newer and hotter," she shrugged.

"Yeah," he nodded sipping at his glass. He knew that neither of them would seriously consider walking away from their marriage. But at this point, all it was, was growing frustration.

"Vodka?" Elliot slapped a crumbled ten dollar bill on the bar.

Olivia hesitated. "Bacardi,"

Elliot pulled back mildly. "Wow… things that bad?"

Olivia shrugged as the bartender handed her the drink. She skulled it all in one long gulp making Elliot shift uncomfortably on his stool. "Another," she waved the bartender, who instantly poured another rum.

"You're almost caught up," he smiled, mildly impressed. Elliot had known Olivia long enough to know how much liquor she could hold. Only when life hit hard did she drink rum. It was the only drink that went straight to her head. But with her mother's past actions, she didn't drink too often.

On their third round, Elliot was beginning to see the change in Olivia, she was border lining drunk.

"El," she said placing her hand gently on his upper thigh, obvious to her actions. Elliot winced. Olivia was in his personal space, and he felt the proximity of her hand too close for comfort. "I'm tired, El."

"Let's get you home then," he offered.

"No," she protested openly. "Elliot, I just don't- I'm tired. I don't sleep. George keeps me awake. John is never home. Work is SO emotionally straining. I just, I can't do it anymore. I'm thinking about quitting…"

The words hung in the air like a bad odor. Eliot's eyes widened. "Quit?" he scoffed. "You can't!"

Olivia cocked her head slightly and looked at him, an air of sadness about her. "I'm sorry. It's too much right now."

"God, Liv, quitting? That's a little extreme, don't you think?" he was still gripped by shock. "Can't you just… I don't know, leave John," he smiled only half-joking. He would have done just about anything to protect the well-being of his best friend. He knew she was being irrational. The decision was too quick. She hadn't spoken to him about it, and he knew she would have, had it been plaguing her mind.

Olivia laughed shortly. "Maybe,"

"We should probably think about getting you home,"

"Mmm," she moaned leaning her head on his shoulder. "Thanks El, I don't think I could get through the day without you, sometimes."

"I know, Liv," it was the alcohol talking. Elliot took his glass and polished off the remainder of his drink before slipping an arm around her waist and helping her from her place on the stool. He waved to the bartender with his free hand, and walked her into the night air. "Come on, I'm going to get you a taxi…"

As Elliot made his way home, he felt the cold air whip his face, and he dreaded the scene that awaited him when he walked through the door.

_**I'd like a review or two before I post the next chapter… you know how I work. But I did LIKE this story, so I am hoping you will too. Be kind. Rewind… NO, wait, its be kind… REVIEW! :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**O**livia stumbled through the door, careful not to make noises, conscious of her sleeping son. She could barely make it up the hallway, and collapsed on the couch in the loungeroom. She leaned her head against the fabric of the leather couch, and closed her eyes. The sound of footsteps stirred her from sleep.

"Where the hell have you been?" came the voice.

Olivia opened her eyes and saw her husband pop his head around the doorframe. He looked less than impressed. Olivia shrugged. "I went to the pub to have a drink with El," she told him impassively, closing her eyes again.

"LIV!" he barked.

Olivia's eyes snapped open and she jumped from the couch, startled by John's loud voice. "What the hell?" she screamed, her heart still pounding from shock.

John was now standing in front of her. "Are you drunk?" he demanded.

"I had a few… I didn't drive," she mocked.

"Go to bed!" he ordered. "You're pathetic!"

Olivia took a moment to stand, careful to stay upright, as she glared at him with disapproval. "Don't talk to me like that!"

"We'll discuss this in the morning," he stated. "We both have work early… get some sleep."

Olivia didn't remember how she managed to climb into bed, but when she woke the next morning, she was dressed in yesterday's clothes. She had a slight headache when she pulled herself out of bed, and by the time she dressed and came into the kitchen for breakfast, it was barely worth a thought.

John was drinking coffee at the table when she came in.

"Hang-over?" he guessed.

"Not really," she shrugged guiltily. Olivia knew that she had faltered in her responsibilities if nothing else. Despite how often John took off, her son did not deserve the absence of his mother. "I'm sorry I didn't call…"

"Fine," he replied coolly.

"Where did you go yesterday?" she asked pouring herself a coffee.

"I had business," he said flatly.

She sighed as she sat down at the table across from him. Olivia was tired of fighting with him. She was tired of her mornings with the same routine; his coldness always creeping into the conversation. Olivia was eager to finish her coffee and head to work. The nanny was taking care of George this morning. She'd grab something to eat at the precinct.

She hurriedly drank her coffee and stood from the table. "I'll see you when I get home," she said with the same cool tone as he had used.

"What about George?"

"The nanny has him today," she answered as she headed for the hallway.

"Fine," he shrugged.

Neither of them uttered a goodbye. A moment later Olivia left the house, and hailed a taxi to the precinct, arriving at work forty minutes later.

Elliot handed her a coffee and smiled as she approached the coffee spot. "Morning…"

Olivia gave him that look, the same one she gave him every time she and John had spent the morning throwing insults across the breakfast table, every time one or both of them had faltered on their responsibilities.

"That bad?"

"You have no idea," she groaned. She sipped at her hot coffee. "Thanks," Olivia was thinking about food.

"I didn't know if you'd be hungry but I got you-"

Olivia didn't allow him to finish his sentence; she put her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. He was startled at first, but it didn't take long for him to respond to her. When she pulled away, she felt slightly better, and within minutes they were laughing over their stupidity of the previous night's conversation.

"We should go away?" Elliot suggested.

"What?" Olivia stepped back slightly, stunned by his words.

Elliot smiled cheekily. "Yeah, you know, holiday… at the beach property I brought,"

For a moment Olivia actually considered this seriously. Her head spinning with the thought of being alone with Elliot for a few days, in a beach house far away from home. Olivia loved being around him. The bond they had formed since joining SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT was so strong that she knew they'd never be without each other. No matter what happened later on, how far they moved away from each other, no amount of miles could stop their growing friendship.

"Go away?" she repeated the word as if it were foreign.

"Are you okay?"

Olivia was pale. She nodded softly.

"We don't have to," he shrugged. "I was just thinking it would be good to get away from work. It's so intense and- listen, Kathy has been so moody lately, I'm not even sure she'd say yes. Forget it."

OH! Olivia felt herself blush, as she realized he had meant combining their families. She was mortified, and turned her head away, her head spinning from embarrassment. She had considered him serious, and had contemplated the idea, and now she felt like an idiot.

She would never tell him what she was thinking.

"Sorry, bad morning…" she said. "I- yeah, I think it would be good to get away. I think John and I need that too, and Kathy must-"

"I'll have a chat with her tonight," Elliot agreed.

Olivia nodded.

"BENSON! STABLER!" Cragen called from his office.

It was time for work. Olivia shot Elliot a smile and titled her head slightly as she looked at him. She would have done anything for this man. He was as important in her life as John was, a close second to her son, George. And until then, she had never considered him anything other than her best friend.

_Please R&R… greatly appreciated. And thanks for reading the next chapter. :) I hope it was okay… have a great day!_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Thank you kindly for the interest of this story. I happen to like it myself. Though I have strange taste. LOL!_

It took Elliot a week to persuade his wife to take this vacation with Olivia and John, but his anxiety was high as he packed the car up. He knew that his reasons for going were foolish, he even knew that he was naively playing with fire, but he couldn't bring himself to stop. Thoughts were flooding through his mind, thoughts he knew he had no right to think.

Eventually, Elliot called Kathy and the children to the car. They were ready to go.

Kathy was in a mood when she climbed in beside her husband, and Elliot said nothing to her as he headed off to the beach house, their children strapped in the backseat. Elliot knew he was being a jerk, but frankly, he didn't care. His mind was on seeing Olivia, and for now that's all he cared about.

Kathleen and Dicky argued over who was cheating as they played eye-spy.

"DAD…" Dicky groaned. "Kathleen's cheating."

"Nuh-hu dad, Dicky was. He isn't even playing right!"

"Quietly," Elliot warned. He had a headache. Elliot was seeing flashes of his co-star in his head. She was a beautiful woman; he'd always thought so, but never had he seen her as anything more than his best friend, his colleague, his confidant, until now… now he couldn't seem to see her as anything else BUT beautiful, and slightly within his reach.

He imagined she'd slap his face if he dared make a move. She'd tell him he was being crazy, and he needed to think about his wife and children. He knew that.

"DAD!" the high-pitch squealing jolted Elliot from his concentration, and he jumped in alarm.

He pulled the car over to the side of the road, trembling with anger. "DAMN IT!" he roared. "ENOUGH! One more word out of any of you, and I'm going to let you out of the car…" he threatened. The threat was empty, he knew, but it worked. The children seemed to recoil back into their seats.

Elliot was not mad at them, he was frustrated with himself.

No more than a minute after he started the drive again, did Kathy turn on him. "They don't need to be treated that way… they've been stuck in a car long enough and-"

"I know," he snapped.

"So apologize!" she demanded.

Elliot shot her a warning look. "Don't start!"

Kathy rolled her eyes and looked out the window. She remained that way the rest of the ride to the beach house.

Above her head, Olivia watched as the sheet began to lower to the bed, and settled neatly across the mattress. She was making up the spare room; killing time, until Elliot and his family arrived. The sooner the better, she thought silently.

"Mommy," George called from the doorway.

She looked up and smiled.

"Is Dicky here yet?" he asked.

"Not yet, sweetie…" she answered. "Soon,"

George dropped his mouth into a frown, and turned on his heels, retracing his footsteps back to the living room.

Olivia finished making the bed, and put fresh flowers by the bedside dresser, as she thought about Kathy. She was a nice woman, extremely tolerable of Elliot and his unnecessary hours, she looked after their two children and when they holidayed together at the beach house, she never complained. She was patient, and for that alone, Olivia admired her.

She was riding on the hope that the moment Olivia saw Elliot's wife, the thoughts in her head would be controlled. Reality would strike home, and she'd remember that the man belonged to someone else. It was ridiculous that after so many years she would be thinking of him this way. He did NOT belong to her. And she had her own husband to fill her thoughts with.

"THEY'RE HERE! They're here!" George shouted from the other room.

Instantly, Olivia's heart quickened. He was here! Checking herself in the mirror, she fixed her hair and took a deep breath. Both Elliot and Olivia were out of their comfort zone, it was harder to stay focused.

Olivia stepped out into the kitchen to greet them.

_I know, drama, drama, drama. Lol. You have to let me know if you like this or not… and then I'll post the next chapter. :)_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thank you again for anyone who is showing an interest in this story. I love you forever. :)_

DAMN IT!

As far as Elliot could tell, she hadn't grown an extra head, or placed a brown paper bag over her face to help the situation. Instead, stepping out in a pink and black slinky silk dress, covered by a tanned fur coat, looking like a Goddess, she was tormenting him. How was he supposed to control his impulses, when she walked around the house looking so damn perfect!

He wanted to scream.

"Gid'day John," he extended his hand to John, and reminded himself who he was. But once his attention moved to Olivia, his thoughts were removed.

She seemed to hesitate, before she moved in to hug him. He felt her arms slide around his waist, her chin resting momentarily on his shoulder. Somehow amongst the entanglement, he managed to smell the sweet scent of her hair… cherries.

_Oh God help me_, he moaned silently.

"Hi Liv, how was the drive?" he asked forcing himself to take a step back.

"Good," she smiled easily. Her focus shifted to his children, and Olivia pulled Dicky against her and cuddled him. _Lucky guy._

Within minutes, Elliot took the bags from the car and dumped them in their own room and settled on the deck with Olivia, John and Kathy, with a glass of wine, the children playing happily on the beach.

Elliot made sure he was positioned beside Olivia, and while John and Kathy made conversation, he dared to turn and look at her. Olivia was staring at him, the same look in her eyes, as he had in his. _Did she want me, too? _He asked himself. No, he concluded. He was being stupid, and crazy, and she belonged to a man who had never been anything but good to him.

"This is just what we need," Olivia smiled shyly taking a sip of her wine. She leaned her head back against the beach chair and closed her eyes.

Elliot watched her, careful not to get caught, and quietly observed her. She looked so peaceful. He moved his focus to his wife, who was chatting animatedly with John. They got on well, always had, it seemed. _Maybe they'll have an affair and I can run away with Olivia to some deserted Island_, he thought cheekily.

"NO!" he barked.

Olivia's eyes snapped open and she looked at Elliot with slight confusion. "Did I say that aloud?" her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

"No, I-" _said what?_ He wondered.

It took a moment to regain her own composure. "What's wrong?"

Elliot shook his head. "Sorry. I'm tired… the drive was long."

"You can take a nanny nap," she offered with a smile. "We understand that oldies like you need more than the average amount of beauty sleep. Not that it would help much…"

"Gee, thanks a lot," he pretended to be hurt.

Olivia laughed. "This is nice…" she turned to look at him then, a smile of content across her face. She was an air of perfection.

"Liv, I-…" he would have told her there and then how beautiful she was, he might have even crossed the border and told her about the uncontrollable thoughts in his head, the way he felt every time she looked at him. Instead, he shook his head, remembering that not only was his wife breathing the same air, but was within hearing distance.

Damn it!

"What, you, what?" she waited for a response but Elliot turned his head and looked out to the water.

_Please Review and let me know if this is reaching anybody…_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Now the fun begins… hehehehe… now its EL VS LIV and the love is clear… happy reading :)_

"Are you awake?" she whispered in the dark bedroom of the beach house. John moaned and rolled over. He was asleep. Olivia sighed quietly as she laid her head back on the pillow, thoughts running though her mind about Elliot in the next room. It was hard to sleep knowing the proximity between them.

For a long time she counted the ceiling patterns.

She heard a shuffle in the kitchen, and immediately climbed out of bed. George had a habit of walking around the house at all hours of the night. He was only four. Olivia was careful not to wake her husband, and threw on her tanned fur coat and made her way out into the kitchen to retrieve her son.

"George come back-" Olivia's heart quickened when she saw that it was not her son, but her partner sitting at the kitchen table with his chin in his hands. "El!"

"Sorry…" he looked tired. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I thought you were George," she answered approaching the bench to pour herself a coffee. She wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. "Want one?" she offered.

"Sure…" he shrugged.

She poured them a cup and returned to the table, sitting down across from him. She couldn't help staring at his bare chest. It wasn't that she hadn't seen it a thousand times before, but this time, it wasn't in front of a bunch of people in the precinct, or in the locker rooms. This time, Olivia was out of her comfort zone.

He looked at her a moment, and laughed.

"What?" had he read her mind?

"You're hair, it's a mess… it's far from the girl I see at work every day," he said with a smile.

She consciously brushed her hair down with her hands, and looked down at her revealing pink nightie, she suddenly felt immodest. "I don't have the luxury of a make-up artist at my beck and call 24/7," she pointed out shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

His smile vanished. "I didn't mean- your beautiful Liv…"

"Oh," she blushed.

Elliot turned his head and focused his eyes on the wall above her head. "Sorry… I- I'm tired."

"Are you okay?" she could sense that something was wrong. But she assumed that the vacation was going to pull him out of his mood. No luck!

"No," he answered honestly. "I don't think I am…"

"What is it?"

There was a long pause. "I was hoping that if I made some noise in here, that you might come in," he told her.

Olivia frowned. What did he mean?

"I don't know what the hell is going on in my head, Liv… I don't. I feel sick because I can't stop thinking about it, and I know that if Kathy knew that we'd be outta here by the time the sun came up. I can't-"

"El," she interrupted. "I'm not following you. What are you thinking about?"

He looked at her and sighed. "You…"

Olivia pulled back as if she'd been slapped. He couldn't have the same thoughts in his head that she had in hers, it was not possible. Elliot loved his wife. His marriage was still alive, and he fought for it constantly. He had five beautiful children. What could she give him that he didn't already have? "I don't…"

"I know," he nodded looking defeated. "I didn't tell you because I think you feel the same, I just wanted to- God, I don't know. I'm an idiot, I guess."

"You're not an idiot," she said. Her head was spinning and she knew she needed to get away from him before she allowed herself to dwell in a place she knew she had no right to.

She pushed back her chair and stood from the table, her coffee barely touched.

"I'm going to go to bed…" she said.

"I understand," and he did, she knew, that's what made this conversation that much worse.

She stopped in the doorway. "Goodnight, El…"

He only looked at her.

Elliot stirred from the bed, still wide awake, despite his closed eyes. He had gotten next to no sleep the night before, and his mind was still on Olivia. He was almost grateful that she left the kitchen when she did, he could only imagine sharing with her all the thoughts in his head, and then he'd really feel like a moron.

"Goodmorning handsome," Kathy turned rolling onto his arm and reached across to kiss him. He mastered no enthusiasm in returning the gesture. "Are you okay?"

"Bad night, sorry," he answered.

She shrugged and rested her head across his chest. Elliot shivered.

"Are you cold?" Kathy pulled the covers over him a little more.

"Thanks," he said. _Boy, do I feel like a shit_, he thought guiltily.

A few minutes later, he climbed out of bed, and dressed, before he went into the kitchen for a coffee. This vacation was supposed to make him feel better. It was supposed to make him feel like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, instead it felt like he was being crushed by a ten-tonner.

Olivia and John were already at the table, eating breakfast.

"Goodmorning," he greeted.

"Goodmorning," John replied. "Coffee?"

"Yeah," he nodded. John poured him a coffee and slid it across the table to where he'd purchased a chair.

"Goodmorning, Liv…" he smiled feeling his stomach tighten like a rope. She hadn't even looked at him this morning.

"Morning," her tone was cold… it was- it was definitely cold.

"Liv isn't feeling well, so we'll be heading back home after breakfast," John said.

Elliot's mouth dropped open. Was he serious? He looked to Olivia for confirmation, but she refused to look at him. Was she mad? Elliot hung his head in defeat. There wasn't much he could say to her here and now, in front of John, and she knew that, it was why she had dropped the bombshell at this moment.

Clever girl!

John excused himself after breakfast, leaving Elliot and Olivia alone in the kitchen. Kathy was still in the bedroom and the kids had been playing on the beach since early morning.

"Why are you leaving?" he asked bluntly.

"I'm sick," she said.

"Why are you REALLY leaving, Olivia?"

She blinked and stared at him for a moment. "Why are you using my whole name?"

"I don't feel like I have another choice," he snapped. "I know that things were said last night but you don't have to leave, we can-"

"NO!" she spat in a harsh whisper. "I won't!"

"Please don't do this…" he begged.

For a moment he thought she was going to give in, but instead of yelling at him, she stalked out of the room.

His shoulders dropped in defeat. He had lost her.

_If you are interested in more… please let me know. __ I'd love a review or 2, or 3, or… you know what a hoard of them would be WONDERFUL!_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Another chapter… one more after this. HOPE YOU LIKE IT!_

Outside by the car, Olivia said her goodbyes, as John finished packing the boot. The reality set in for Elliot when he saw her shuffle her feet nervously, moving sideways to avoid him. Elliot felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach. He hadn't stopped for a moment to consider how his overwhelming thoughts might impact her.

Elliot was repentant.

"Well, I think that's just about it," John said closing the boot of the car. He looked up and smiled at Kathy. "Sorry, we had to cut this one short…"

Kathy shrugged easily. "These things happen," she said turning to Olivia. "Feel better, Liv."

Olivia managed a nod.

Elliot stepped up cautiously as they all said they're goodbyes, and for a moment he hesitated, feeling awkward as he contemplated how to make his next move.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, desperation clouding his thoughts.

Olivia held her breath.

"Please don't- don't…" he wanted to tell her to stay, he needed her there, but he could evidently see that the last thing she wanted was his company. "Don't do anything crazy," he said in place of his other thoughts. "Feel better."

"Okay," she nodded.

Unwilling to let, later-regret win over, he embraced her, holding her tightly against his chest and breathing in the scent of her cherry shampoo. _Oh God, she's perfect_, he sighed lowering his head into the crook of her neck. "I need you…" he whispered allowing his tongue to take control of his words.

Olivia pulled away abruptly. "El," she hissed.

He shook his head mortified at himself for his uncontrolled actions, as he glanced around to make sure no one had seen him. The children were playing chasey, dodging through John's legs, while he attempted to finish the conversation he was engaged in. Elliot was safe.

He apologetically looked back at his partner, who was staring at him with the same kind of intensity that he felt flood through his body. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm an idiot."

"I'll see you at work," she said coolly. She turned on her heels and trudged off to the car, climbing into the passenger's seat and strapping herself in. She did not look at him again.

Elliot hung his head watching them drive away a moment later, as he stood by his wife and children.

_Yayfulness! Another chapter written… okay, so I am planning to take this to the alleged kissing picture posted on the NET, on the stairs… please review and I shall post the LAST chapter soon._


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: LAST chapter… hope you all like it… and thank you for having a look, I hope it was worth the read. :)**_

At work the following Monday, Olivia felt her stomach overload with undoubting knots, as she waited for Elliot to arrive at the courthouse. She knew that her inhibitions were low, and that the next move he made towards her, would be uncontrolled by her own emotions. The strength she had at the beach house to reject him, were nothing short of incredible. The strength had come from a place she hadn't known existed.

She wanted him, more than she had a right too, and she felt guilty. She had once loved John, but even now, she couldn't bring herself to think about that, about him. Her mind was completely clouded over with thoughts of her partner.

She sipped at her coffee, as she stood beside Alex Cabot, vaguely hearing the dialogue she was throwing at her, something about an up-coming event. Suddenly, Alex stopped talking, and Olivia turned to look at her.

"What's up with you?" she asked. "You look as white as a ghost. I thought you said you were feeling better…"

"I am," she insisted. "I just-" her eyes wondered over the crowd of people standing around the courthouse. At this moment, the last thing she wanted to be doing was working. Maybe she should have taken a sick day.

"Goodmorning Alex," the familiar voice boomed from beside her. Olivia jumped, as Elliot came out of nowhere. Her hand rested on her stomach, overloading with unmoving tight rope, silently willing it to go away. She was a grown woman, for Pete's sake, all this emotion was for giggly girls in high school. Olivia dared to steal a glance at him, and discovered that his eyes were already moving over her. Instantly, she averted her eyes.

"Hi," she said, keeping the casualness in her tone.

"Feeling better?" he asked relaxed, as if nothing untoward had happened between them. He shuttered pulling his winter coat closer around himself. "Geez, it's cold."

"Yeah," she agreed thinking it wasn't the weather that was making her body chill.

"Olivia looks pale, don't you think?" Alex asked Elliot.

Elliot barely looked at her. "She looks fine to me."

Alex shrugged. "Oh- I have to go… they're calling me."

Alex disappeared into the courtroom.

Olivia looked at Elliot. "How did the rest of the holiday go?" she asked. If nothing else, she wanted to be his friend, the way they had always been friends.

"Fine."

"Did you stay up there?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't we?" he said. Leaving the conversation unfinished, he walked over to the bench and sat down.

Her heart seemed to break then, and she felt a crack in her chest. She knew that men took rejection hard, but this was ridiculous? Allowing his attitude to wash off her back, she joined John Munch, while they waited to be called.

"How you feeling?" Munch asked. "Heard you been crook."

"I'm okay, thanks. How was your weekend?"

"Good. I went fishing,"

Olivia laughed. "Fishing?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It wasn't half bad. We caught a few… nice dinner."

"Good."

"OLIVIA!" a voice bellowed from somewhere near the courtroom doorway.

Olivia smiled. "Gotta go…"

During the course of the day, Elliot avoided Olivia at all costs plausible, when they were forced together by a case, he acted professionally and as soon as it was over, he moved away from her, positioning himself anywhere that she wasn't. Olivia felt small.

By the end of the day, she approached him to finish the un-ended issue between them. She knew that she should have avoided him, she knew that she should have walked away, before now. But something strong was pulling her back to him.

"I don't have time…" he called over his shoulder as he headed off. She followed him.

"What's with the cold shoulder?" she demanded. She couldn't stand it anymore, the freeze out, the subtle silent treatment. Elliot was better than that.

"What are you talking about?" he asked innocently.

"El, don't do this…" she begged. Olivia was beginning to feel like she had made the whole thing up. Had she mistaken his words for something else? Maybe she was losing her mind, it wasn't that far-fetched, was it? People lost their minds every day.

"I'm not doing anything," he said.

"I'm sorry…"

Elliot shrugged. He moved to walk away, but she took hold of his arm, stopping him on the stairs of the entrance way with the grey door. "WHAT?" he snapped.

Olivia grimaced as she made eye contact with him. He held her stare for a moment before a small smile, spread across his face. "It worked…" he mumbled.

"What did?" she asked, her voice a monotone as she concentrated on the tinge of green in his blue eyes. Were they always this color?

"Ignoring you…" he smirked. "I got some advice from Munch and he-"

"YOU TOLD MUNCH?" she barked.

Elliot recoiled. "Not exactly,"

"What did you say?" she asked with a small smile on her face.

"I want to get the girl…" he mumbled. The words struck home for her. Impulsively, she stepped forward, meeting the steps that Elliot mirrored. Inches apart, he gripped her suit jacket with his hand and pulled her to him.

Any will power she had to walk away, vanished instantly, and she could not remember a reason why it was so wrong to want him. She was trembling uncontrollably as she felt his arm slip around her waist. She did not deny him, she hadn't the strength to, instead she stepped forward going with the moment and holding no emotion back.

Olivia reached out her hand to touch his face, tracing the line of his cheekbone, as she felt the rough texture of his skin against her finger. Her entire body ached to touch him. Her lips quivering, in anticipation of knowing, that in a few short moments that they would brush with his.

Elliot released the grip of her blouse and brought his hand to the base of her neck, where he pulled her further forward, Olivia's left hand moved from his cheek to the side of his neck, her right hand rested comfortably on his upper chest. Everything within her cried out to him.

Olivia closed her eyes as his lips settled on her cheek, progressively edging their way closer to her mouth, until she couldn't stand it anymore. She took hold of his chin and forced his lips to touch hers. Her mouth moved over his with such intensity that her head spun.

Perfection seemed too small a word to explain what she felt when Chris held her in his arms and she clung to him as if she was afraid she would lose him at any given time. No guilt was present as she kissed him, she did not recall her vows to her husband, or his to his wife, or the responsibilities each of them had to their children. In the moment, he was nothing but a mere man, and she a woman.

"El," she sighed into his chest as she pulled away.

"I'm here," he replied.

"I'm going to hell for this," she whispered hoarsely.

Olivia gripped the material of his cotton garment as she silently prayed that John would forgive her for what she was doing to him, but the guilt was overpowered with desire and she pulled his mouth back down on hers, and his arm around his neck and it started all over again.

_SO… what did you think? PLEASE review… I want to know if it was any good!_

_I'm thinking I'll leave it there, and readers can decide whether they kept it a secret, ended it, got busted, or left their spouses to be together… YAY for E/O. Who doesn't LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE these two? :)_

PS. I apologize to those who are offended by the notion of infidelity, but I had originally planned this as a MARISH and CHRIS RPF, so there was more chance it would be accepted as that, but since Fanfic doesn't accept RPF I had to change it to get ppl to care about this story. SO I'm sorry and thank you… happy fanfic-ing!


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